Many of you are already painfully aware that the Governor proposes to sweep $1 million from the trail fund this current fiscal year! This unprecedented sweep, coming less than two years after a previous attempt to take $1 million during the 2008-2009 budget process, must be rejected by the Legislature. It is another attempt to raid the Snowmobile Trail Fund.

NYSSA is further opposed to the language in Part HH of Budget Bill S6609/A9709 that would expand the allowable use of monies in the snowmobile trail fund to include “public safety activities,” and urge that this language be removed from the budget. By allowing snowmobile registration fees to be taken from their intended use and transferred to the general fund under the guise of public safety, while removing any accountability regarding the use of these funds, the proposed budget would result in millions more swept from the snowmobile trail fund in the years to come.

As President of NYSSA, I have sent a letter to the Governor and the Legislature strongly opposing this sweep of the $1 million from the trail fund and reminding the Governor of his commitment made to NYSSA in his July 10, 2008 press release, and asking to restore these funds. We at NYSSA are working with our lobbyists to take whatever action necessary to oppose this unwarranted sweep of our money from the trail fund and language in Part HH of Budget Bill S6609/A9709. They are reaching out to the Legislature and asking for their help to correct this intolerable situation.

I am calling on every one of our Club Presidents and their members to send a letter to their respective Senator and Assemblyman asking their help in getting our $1 million restored to the Snowmobile Trail Fund and to oppose the language in Part HH of Budget Bill S6609/A9709. We are providing all of you with the attached model letters in order to ensure a clear, consistent, and resolute message. Club members should make sure to sign their letters and include their home address.

If you utilize an example letter below, it is critical that you personalize your letter with your own comments on this matter in a clear and respectful manner.

Example letter to Governor Paterson (MS word format)
Example letter to Governor Paterson (Text file)

Example letter to your State Senator (MS word format)
Example letter to your State Senator (Text File)

Example letter to your State Assembly Member (MS word format)
Example letter to your State Assembly Member (Text File)

Mail or Fax your letters to your respective representatives to the Senate and Assembly as soon as possible. We must act quickly to let them know about our opposition to this unwarranted action by the Governor. You can determine who your Senator or Assemblyman is by using the zip code look-up device at going to the following sites:

Find your NY State Senator contact information here, Find My State Senator
Find your NY State Assembly Member contact information here, Find My Assembly Member
The NYS Board of Election: http://nymap.elections.state.ny.us/nysboe/

You can get the mailing address and fax numbers of your legislators from the Senate and Assembly sites.

Please act quickly and send your letters. Thanks for your attention to this most pressing issue facing NYSSA and the clubs.

Mike Fischer
NYSSA President